Computational analysis of Urolithin A as a potential compound for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neurodegenerative pathways.

Urolithin A, an active precursor derived from the metabolism of ellagitanins in rats and humans, is known for its potential health benefits, including stimulating mitophagy and promoting muscular skeletal function. While experimental studies have demonstrated Urolithin A's potential to enhance cellular health, the detailed molecular interactions through which Urolithin A exerts its effects are not fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory, antioxidation and neuroprotective abilities of Urolithin A in selected targets using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation methods.

Indigenous Knowledge and Quantitative Analysis of Medicinal Plants Used to Remedy Respiratory Tract Disorders in Mid-Western Tanzania.

This study is aimed at documenting the indigenous knowledge and quantitative analysis of medicinal plants (MPs) used by traditional health practitioners (THPs) of Urambo District in mid-western Tanzania to manage respiratory tract disorders (RTDs). The ethnomedicinal data were collected using semistructured interviews with 55 THPs using a snowballing technique in the district. The data were analysed for indigenous knowledge among gender, age groups, education status, and experience.

Quantitative modelling for dengue and Aedes mosquitoes in Africa: A systematic review of current approaches and future directions for Early Warning System development.

The rapid spread and growing number of dengue cases worldwide, alongside the absence of comprehensive vaccines and medications, highlights the critical need for robust tools to monitor, prevent, and control the disease. This review aims to provide an updated overview of important covariates and quantitative modelling techniques used to predict or forecast dengue and/or its vector Aedes mosquitoes in Africa. A systematic search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, EBSCOhost, and Scopus, restricted to studies conducted in Africa and published in English.

Has stakeholder participation in health facility governing committees promoted social accountability? A qualitative study in Tanzania.

Background: Since the 1990s, Tanzania has actively encouraged stakeholder participation in health services through Health Facility Governing Committees (HFGCs) to promote social accountability within its broader health system reforms. While previous studies have explored the functionality of the HFGCs, this study aimed to understand whether stakeholder participation in the HFGCs contributes to promoting social accountability in the health system.

Methods: Between July and October 2022, a qualitative study in two districts of Tanzania was carried out.

Field-Based cDNA-Biosensor for Accurate Detection of Canine Distemper Virus in Tissue Samples.

Canine distemper, a viral disease with a global impact on various animals including dogs, foxes, wolves, lions, and leopards, requires early diagnosis for effective treatment and outbreak control. Common laboratory methods, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, polymerase chain reaction, and viral isolation, face challenges such as extended turnaround times, high costs, and the expertise required. This study has developed a field-based biosensor for detecting the canine distemper virus (CDV), utilising a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) and a computer-assisted portable potentiostat.

Geospatial Analysis of Malaria Burden in Kagera Region, Northwestern Tanzania Using Health Facility and Community Survey Data.

Background: Malaria transmission in Tanzania has declined significantly over the last 2 decades due to scaled-up control interventions. However, recent confirmation of artemisinin partial resistance (ART-R) in Kagera region in northwest Tanzania threatens the ongoing efforts to eliminate malaria in the country. This study was conducted according to the World Health Organization recommendation to generate evidence of malaria burden in areas with confirmed ART-R as the first step before developing a response strategy to the resistance.

Assessing community awareness and participation in health facility governing committees in two districts of Tanzania: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Tanzania has been promoting community participation in health, either directly or through health facility governing committees (HFGCs), as part of its wider, ongoing health system reforms since the 1990s. Although some studies have assessed the functioning of the HFGCs, little is known about community knowledge and involvement in their activities.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey assessing community awareness and participation in HFGCs was conducted between July and October 2022, involving two rural districts of Tanzania, which were selected based on their performance: Handeni, showing low performance and Mbarali, high performance.

Driving sustainability in the sugarcane industry: Life Cycle Assessment of conventional and emerging spraying technologies in Tanzania.

Sugarcane dominates global sugar and bioethanol production, involving extensive cultivation and supply chain activities. The sugarcane development encounters challenges, such as climate change, diseases, pests, and water scarcity, affecting growth and yields. Sugarcane management often involves the use of pesticides, which risk soil and water contamination.

Identifying optimal locations for the development of health facilities towards the attainment of universal health coverage using geospatial techniques in Kishapu district, Tanzania.

Two hours of travel time specified by the World Health Organization (WHO) to access quality health services is among the most important criteria for the Universal Health Coverage. However, locations of health facilities (HF) in many developing countries fail to realise this target due to a lack of appropriate models considering the local environment. This work used the central-place theory to explore locations of HF in Kishapu and their accessibility status based on two means of transport in the AccessMod tool: walking only and the combination of walking-and-motor devices.

Surface Tension of Cu-Ti Alloys and Wettability in a Liquid Alloy-Refractory Material-Gaseous Phase System.

The study involved measurements of surface tension of liquid binary copper-titanium alloys with respect to their chemical composition and temperature as well as investigations of the liquid alloy-refractory material-gaseous phase system wettability using usual refractory materials, i.e., graphite, aluminum oxide and magnesium oxide.

performance of cost differentiated ceftriaxone brands against : insights from a tertiary referral hospital in Mbeya, Tanzania.

Background: In Tanzania, ceftriaxone is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. However, there is quite a significant variation in cost for numerous ceftriaxone brands, leading to the perception that pricier options are more effective. Yet, limited empirical data support this perception.

Kimboza, a Small Lowland Forest With an Outstanding Herpetofauna Diversity in East Africa.

The Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM) and Coastal forests of Tanzania are renowned for harboring large number of threatened and endemic vertebrate species, yet most of these areas have been partially studied. The Kimboza Nature Forest Reserve (KNFR) is a small forest which is in transition between the EAM and Coastal forests, and among the poorly surveyed areas for amphibians and reptiles. We conducted systematic surveys across the KNFR in 2012 and between 2020 and 2023 using a range of approaches with the aim of establishing a comprehensive and updated list of reptile and amphibian species and assess the contribution of EAM and Coastal forests to the KNFR's herpetofauna.

Competitive antagonistic action of laccase between species and the newly identified wood pathogenic .

, a well-known genus in the Ganodermataceae family, has caused the extinction of several tree species due to its pathogenicity. This study explored the pathogenic effect of a newly identified species on trees and its competitive efficiency against species. sp.

Bayesian spatial-temporal analysis and determinants of cardiovascular diseases in Tanzania mainland.

Background: Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are health-threatening conditions that account for high mortality in the world. Approximately 23.6 million deaths due to CVD is expected in the year 2030 worldwide.

The Chemistry and Pharmacological Properties of the Constituents of Toussaintia Orientalis - An Endangered Treasure of Biomedical Agents.

Toussaintia orientalis Verdc. (Annonaceae) is a medicinal plant species endemic to Tanzania. It is classified under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as an extremely endangered species threatened with extinction.

Preparation methods, applications, toxicity and mechanisms of silver nanoparticles as bactericidal agent and superiority of green synthesis method.

Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are a type of nanomaterial with wide applications in water treatment, medicine, food packaging, and industrial processes. Their unique optical, electrical, thermal conductivity, and biological properties distinguish them from other metal ions and liken them to noble metals like gold and copper. The present review explores the diverse applications, preparation techniques, mechanism of action of SNPs, and properties of SNPs focusing on their bactericidal activities and potential impacts on human health.

The distribution of cardiovascular diseases in Tanzania: a spatio-temporal investigation.

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is currently the major challenge to people's health and the world's top cause of death. In Tanzania, deaths due to CVD account for about 13% of the total deaths caused by the non-communicable diseases. This study examined the spatio-temporal clustering of CVDs from 2010 to 2019 in Tanzania for retrospective spatio-temporal analysis using the Bernoulli probability model on data sampled from four selected hospitals.